Dustdevils-ouch

Why one keeps the canopy closed and the wings tied
down in the afternoon.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCGUE...arch=parapente

"Stewart Kissel" wrote in
message ...
Why one keeps the canopy closed and the wings tied
down in the afternoon.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCGUE...arch=parapente




Last spring, a student of mine was concentrating on his aim point while
flying final to Boulders glider runway. He was concentratng so hard he
failed to notice a small vortex ruffling the water as it crossed the lake at
the approach end. It looked like out glide path would intercept it.

I casually said, "My extra sensory perception says we will hit strong lift
in a few seconds". This just got a grunt from the front seat. When we hit
the thermal, it bounced us up about 100 feet, vastly complicating the
students landing approach but he managed to stop at the far end of the
runway.

I walked away as the line boy and the student started pushing the glider
back to the start point, but was still close enough to hear, "How the hell
did he know that?" I'd explain it later - meanwhile, anything to get
respect.

Bill Daniels

However, if one is not near the ground, dust devils can be quite useful. On
Saturday I spotted a big one like in the first part of the video. The "dust"
part only went up about 300' AGL but the rest of it took me in a Grob 103
from 3000' up to 9000' MSL. Nice!

"Stewart Kissel" wrote in
message ...
Why one keeps the canopy closed and the wings tied
down in the afternoon.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCGUE...arch=parapente

Check out the dust devils on Mars. Some estimated to be 30 km high!

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/duststorms/

JD

Roger Worden wrote:
However, if one is not near the ground, dust devils can be quite useful. On
Saturday I spotted a big one like in the first part of the video. The "dust"
part only went up about 300' AGL but the rest of it took me in a Grob 103
from 3000' up to 9000' MSL. Nice!

"Stewart Kissel" wrote in
message ...
Why one keeps the canopy closed and the wings tied
down in the afternoon.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCGUE...arch=parapente